A Christmas Exchange
by W-IIV
Summary: Chariot visits Croix in her prison for Christmas, gifts and kisses are exchanged.


**A/N Yes this is another Secret Santa thing, Merry Christmas Quantum! I got you in the server secret santa and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chariot shivered against the wind as she waved goodbye Holbrook, who kindly gave her a ride here before she turned around and made her way forward. Her hand wrapped tight against the two objects in her arms as the other shifted the scarf around her neck. It was freezing but that was expected, after all, she was in a Scottish Prison during Christmas. This was the place where Croix was kept for her crimes.

The Carcerem was a prison settled in the middle of the Northern Sea, east of the main island. It sat between two points of the Sacred Scottish LeyLine Pentagram, between the northern point of Ring of Brodgar and Eastern point of Skelmuir Hill. It stands as one of the oldest witch prisons, but it only held redeemable criminals who operated under British or British related soil. Legend has it that one of the nine olde witches created it, one who operated under a strong sense of justice, redemption and second chance.

Croix didn't believe when she told Chariot about the place when she first visited, for no matter how much she investigated on her mandatory exercise in the fields there was no sign that the small island was the resting place of a nine olde witch. Chariot believed it, however, for how could one explain how the island appeared out of nowhere? The way its magic operated under its own system even when magic started to die before it's revival a year ago? There was something mystical about the place, something omnipotent. It struck fear to Chariot some regard yet also hope, hope because if Croix was here, it meant she would be okay eventually.

"Ms Du Nord!"

Chariot looked up, a smile on her face as she saw the happy grin of the entrance guard she befriended over the visits. "Mrs Smyth, how are you and the kids?" Smyth was hostile at first, especially as Chariot made the mistake of introducing herself as Ursula Callistis whilst forgetting that the persona she made doesn't exist. Thankfully Holbrooke was there to help sort out the misunderstanding.

Guard Smyth grinned she leaned closer to the window. "I for one am terribly cold with this weather but Samantha is enjoying her new card collection for Christmas." Smyth then blushed as she leaned closer, "Thanks for getting the new nine witches to sign them, oh and for the idea for my wife's present, she loved it."

Chariot giggled, "Well I'm glad your family is having a wonderful Christmas."

"Yeah," Smyth smiled before pressing the button that allowed the door to open. "Now get going Ms Du Nord, your own girl is waiting."

Now it was Chariot's turn to blush, a bright red colour that made Smyth have a hearty chuckle. "Merry Christmas Mrs Smyth."

"You too Ms Du Nord." With those words, Chariot stepped through the door, took a couple steps forward before the hallway exploded with flashing lights and a dull siren call. Chariot froze in her step, shock in her expression before the sudden noise and lights died abruptly.

"Forgot to tell me you had metal, Ms Du Nord?" Smyth said, voice now on an edge.

Chariot whipped round, hands clutching on her presents. "No please, there seems to be a misunderstanding, I didn't bring anything metallic today."

Smyth, upon seeing her desperate but innocent face sighed. "I know but you know I gotta follow regulations."

Chariot relaxed with a relieved exhale, now knowing that she's not in trouble. She had the instant reaction to be annoyed with the setback but that feeling died quickly, though it meant less time for her to spend with Croix, these things had to be done. "I know."

Smyth nodded at her before gesturing to a door at the side of the wall. "Thanks for understanding, now follow me to the search room. Hopefully, we can get this over and done Ms Du Nord, I hate to arrest you on Christmas Day."

* * *

Croix sighed as she leant against her jail cell bars. Apparently, it was Christmas Day, which would explain a lot of the singing and cheering further down the hall in the common room. Rumour has it that the warden will give those who behaved extra break and those who didn't got more jobs around the prison. Whilst Croix has been behaving ever since she got here, she couldn't stand the festive cheer of the place. Like, how can you be happy in a prison? How can you be happy separated by loved ones in time for family and friends? How can she be happy when Chariot was miles away?

By the nine she missed her.

"Not surprised to find you to be a Scrooge, Meridies."

Croix turned around, surprise on her face as she came face to face with the warden of Carcerem. "Warden Jones, Merry Christmas Ma'am."

Jones smirked, a little laugh leaving her lips as she eyed Croix. "I would say Merry Christmas back but I see you've been brooding near your cell. Can't have that around here Meridies, dampens the spirit."

Croix turned sheepish. One hand scratched the nape of her neck as she looked to the side. "Sorry about that Ma'am, just thinking."

"Well, I caught you at the right time. There's a room I know which needs a thinking witch like yourself." Croix paled at the mischievous glint in the warden's eyes and the smug smirk on her lips. She had half a mind to try to get out of it because it's Christmas but she knew that could just piss her off. It's not a pretty sight to see her pissed off.

"Um… sure I guess?"

Jones lifted an eyebrow. "You guess?" Croix didn't like how she said that. "Meridies, I _know_ you're gonna like this room made for ya thinking." With that, she started to walk away and Croix followed, the feeling of trepidation overwhelming her.

The walk was to a place Croix knew about but never actually visited. It was place locked behind tight security, locked hallway doors, security cameras. She was pretty sure that in the night there would be some magical laser trap or something similar. She has seen people enter here, however, though most of them never return. But she was fine… at least she hoped.

They stopped in front of a wooden door, the decor is extremely out of place in an area like this. Flowers, though the colours were faded with wear, decorated the door and handle. Croix could barely make out a few of them, there were daisies, Aloes, ferns and sages, all surrounding a single oak leaf that adorned the centre.

From the other side of the door, Croix could hear muffled voices though she couldn't pick up anything from them. Croix glanced at the warden and took a silent gulp as Jones gave her a final smirk and steeled her face, rapping on the door with an echoing sound.

"Ah, there's the warden now. You may enter Warden Jones."

Jones opened the door, the hinges creaking as she took a step in, Croix following right behind her. The room was nothing like Croix seen before, it was if she shifted to another new plane of existence. There was sunlight beaming through the glass ceiling above, the smell was a strange mix of sea and herbs that worked well with each other. The brick walls were covered with moss, branches and other plant life. In the middle was a line of large intertwined roots of a large tree and on either side was an arch that dipped into the wall behind it. One side was empty but the other had a figure carved from bark but entangled with flora.

But Croix made no attention to that.

She just stared at the real beauty in front of her. A spectacled woman with burning red hair and eyes that had stars glistening in them the moment Croix caught her looking.

"Chariot!" She yelled, laughter flying freely from her wide grin. Chariot laughed too, a blush on her cheeks and it took everything in Croix to not run at her with a hug. Croix looked at Warden Jones, desperation in her eyes and a plea on her lips. Jones just laughed and nudged her head towards Chariot and Croix took that as the cue to start running.

"Chariot!" she called again, her heart racing in her chest as she watched Chariot race closer to her. They embraced themselves in the middle, hands clutching the other tight, tears flowing down their faces. The difference between this reunion and all the others was the fact that they could touch before they were between a glass wall, phones on each side that allowed them to talk.

Now, for some Christmas miracle, they were allowed to touch. Croix was allowed to hold Chariot close, press her hands through her glorious red hair, smell the ink and parchment that always clung to her, feel the warmth and love that radiated from Chariot with every touch, kiss those lips that she kept seeing in her dreams. Croix didn't know how long she had with Chariot, nor did she know why it was like this but she isn't going to waste time questioning it.

"I missed you Chariot," Croix whispered to chariot's ear, head resting in the crook of her neck.

"I missed you too Croix."

"And I'm missing my well-earned rest," Jones cut in causing Croix to turn around with a sheepish blush. Jones grinned at her before she looked to the side and licked her lips. Croix followed her eyes and saw a beautiful fruitcake on a table made for two. "Alright so, I'm taking a piece of that cake, Smyth do the same and I'll come back for you Meridies in thirty minutes." She turned back to Croix with another smile. "Merry Christmas Meridies, consider this a present for all the good behaviour and research you've been doing."

Croix laughed from all the praise she received but went quiet as Chariot hugged her from behind.

"Proud of you," She whispered causing Croix to blush with a small smile. She was about to speak but Jones once more interrupted them.

"Oh yeah," Jones called from the door, "Don't think of anything nasty here, one of the nine is watching." With that both her and Guard Smyth left the room, leaving both Chariot and Croix alone.

"One of the nine?" Croix mused, finally having a chance to marvel at the room. Her eyes fell at the arches, laughter played on her lips as she swept back her hair in surprised at the wooden figure in an arch. "Damn it Chariot, you were right." She laughed before she sighed in accepted defeat. "Well, there goes my plan to ravish you right here, right now."

"Croix!" Chariot chided, cheeks flaring with red heat as she slapped Croix around the shoulder.

"Oh relax Chariot, I was just joking." Chariot sighed before Croix took a step towards her, lips centimetres apart as Croix had a cocky grin before she kissed her. "Well, mostly anyways," she confessed when they parted a moment later.

Chariot laughed, shaking her head as she covered her blushing face with a hand. The sound mixed in with the happy smile on her face turned Croix soft, the cocky smirk turning into a mushy small smile as she kissed Chariot again. This time more slowly, gentler as she took her sweet time kissing her, both hands pressed against Chariot's cheeks as the kiss got deeper.

"I missed you," Croix said, voice quiet with adoration.

"You already said that," Chariot giggled.

Croix shrugged with a guilty smile, "I'm just emphasising my point then."

"Come on Croix," Chariot said as she held Croix's hand and guided her to the table. "I made you some fruitcake."

"I know and it looks delicious." Croix then sat down and had a bite, humming a sound of delight as the flavours exploded in her mouth. "Mmmm tastes delicious too."

Chariot beamed at the praise as she got her own plate and had her share, their hands still intertwined. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"So how is everyone? Did the two brats got together yet?"

Chariot rolled her eyes at the term, she knew Croix liked them, even though she had several layers of guilt and lingers of frustration hiding it. "Everyone is fine, Akko knows how to fly but is still struggling with control against rough winds, Diana is helping her with it so she would be fine eventually."

"And?"

"Yes, they got together. Diana took your advice and asked Akko out."

"Hah!" Croix laughed, her grin reaching each ear. "You know they should thank me really, nothing really gets a girl like saving the world together."

Chariot winced, already picturing the red-faced angry Cavendish student, "Please don't tell that to them in your letters."

Croix had a muffled laugh before swallowing her food. "I'll try." Unknowingly to her, a piece of cake was stuck to the side of her chin.

Chariot sighed fondly at the sight mess, "Croix you got something on your chin." Chariot pointed to her own face to mirror where the mess was on Croix's face but somehow Croix had the wrong location when she wiped her face with a tissue. "No here-right under the corner of your lips- no-" In the end Chariot gave up telling Croix where it was and cleaned the mess herself. She placed one hand under her chin, leaning close to Croix's face whilst the other had a napkin to swab at the dirty spot.

"I can't believe it you made a fool out of me Chariot," Croix sighed, in fake despair. "You didn't tell me that the mess was right there, in that obvious place."

Chariot, now once again close to Croix's face quirked one of her brows. "You act as if this wasn't your plan to get me this close to you again."

Croix shrugged in innocence but a lazy smile started to grow on her lips. "I'm not sure Chariot, haven't you heard? I've been a good girl recently, haven't planned any bad schemes at all this year."

"But I'm sure you planned good ones," Chariot mused as she finished cleaning Croix up.

As Chariot was about to pull away Croix quickly reached out and got her one of her hands and kissed it tenderly. "Yes but you being here wasn't one of them."

"Then what plans have you planned?"

"If you must know I figured out how to make a holographic tree, one that shows real-time footage as long as it's connected to a ley line. That way I can monitor and research about Wagandea without leaving my cell."

"That's brilliant!" Chariot exclaimed, quickly delving into a big hug. "That's so much progress I'm so proud you!"

"Yeah…" Croix begrudgingly agreed as she hugged Chariot back. "It's still not enough though."

Chariot's smile was sympathetic as she pulled away. "It's more than enough for now," she placed her hands delicately on Croix's cheeks, thumbs rubbing circles on them as Croix moved her eyes away from the wall to her. "You doing progress, we both know a cure won't happen overnight but you're doing such an amazing job already. I believe in you. Everyone believes in you."

Croix's laugh was full of disbelief as she looked at Chariot like she was telling a lie, "Do they now?"

Chariot only grinned as she got up and found the Christmas present she hidden before. "Why don't you take a look?"

Croix took the present from her, eyes and mouth wide with surprise. "Chariot…" She gasped as she looked up at her. "I- I don't even have a present for you." She looked away ashamed, sudden doubt crawling over her skin.

But the moment didn't last as Chariot sat next to her again and held her hands, squeezing them tight with assurance. "It's okay Croix, I didn't expect anything."

"But still!" Croix exclaimed, "You deserve something, Chariot!"

"Hey," she said as she placed her hands on Croix's cheeks. "All I wanted for Christmas was to see you. You being here with me, without a glass barrier between us is more than I ever imagined."

"Chariot…"

Croix was about to say something else but Chariot silenced her with a kiss. "Go open your present Croix."

Slowly, Croix unwrapped her present and the sound of paper tearing filled the air where she came face to face with a box. Croix looked up at Chariot who stayed silent, eyes eager to see her reactions, with a small nervous smile, Croix opened the box. After a small moment of silence, she gasped.

Croix found herself staring at a small collection of books. The first one was a brown leather notebook, it was tiny in compared to the books under it. Croix took it out and placed it the side as she took out another. To her surprise, she saw the name Cavendish in one end of the spine, the name somewhat faded with wear.

"Akko insisted that everyone got you presents too," Chariot explained when Croix looked at her for a reason. "Not everyone did, but the new nine witches got you some books for your research, it was the only thing I told them you were allowed to keep."

"Did you get me a book Chariot?" Croix joked as she placed the medical book one of Diana's ancestor wrote. Chariot stayed silent but gave her a mysterious grin.

Interested to see what Chariot got her, Croix went through the book pile quicker. There was a book on Fae creatures and Fae Legends Lotte gave her, Sucy gave her a Fungi encyclopedia, Akko gave her a book on the nine olde witches, Constanze gave her a bunch of own notes stating that she might need it (the little brat), Amanda gave her history book of flying that was stolen from the school library and Jasminka gave her tips on how to spice up prison food without magic. All in all an interesting collection, it was just missing something.

"Hey Chariot where's your book?"

Chariot laughed as she handed Croix the first book she got out. "You missed it."

Croix rolled her eyes as she unhooked the leather strap and opened the first page, the mouth opening with another awed gasp. "I can't believe you made this," she whispered. It was a small picture album, full of photos from their youth to now, small notes jotted on the sides of the photos. They were lines prompting old memories, stuff Croix couldn't remember herself in the long years of separation: Remember when we almost got caught sneaking around? You got so scared

Croix heard Chariot move next to her, sat down behind her, body leaning over her back, arms wrapped around and resting on Croix's chest. "I didn't know what to get you," Chariot confessed. "But I knew you missed me, and I missed you… so I thought something about us would help."

"It's perfect." Croix looked at her fondly as their lips connected once more softly. "I love you Chariot."

Chariot blushed at the affection before she grinned back endearingly. "I love you too Croix, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas."


End file.
